Distributor plate structure and fixedly mounting attachment mean to distributor housing

ABSTRACT

The outside of a circumferential wall of a distributor housing is formed at circumferentially spaced locations with depressions thereby creating at the inner side projections which center and retain a breaker assembly support plate inserted into the housing through an open side thereof. A method of making such a housing is also disclosed.

United States Patent 1 Schneider et a1.

Assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbll, Stuttgart, Germany Filed: Nov. 4, 1971 Appl. No.: 195,751

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 7, 1970 Germany ..P 20 54 930.8

US. Cl. ..200/19 R, 200/31 DP Int. Cl. ..H0lh 9/02 Field of Search ..200/19 R, 19 A, 30 R, 30 A, 200/31 A, 31 CA, 31 DP, 31 V [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,929,888 3/1960 Hagmaier et a1 ..200/19 A X 2,444,149 6/1948 Aldridge ..200/19 A X 2,115,462 4/1938 Hittle ..200/30 A 2,371,570 3/1945 Worel ..200/19 R X 2,788,401 4/1957 McCarty. ..200/30 R 2,889,418 6/1959 Kline ..200/19 R 3,479,472 11/1969 Cooksey .200/19 R Primary Examiner-J. R. Scott Attorney-Michael S. Striker 57 ABSTRACT housing is also disclosed.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DISTRIBUTOR PLATE STRUCTURE AND FIXEDLY MOUNTING ATTACHMENT MEAN TO DISTRIBUTOR HOUSING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to ignition distributors for internal combustion engines and more particularly to an arrangement for centering and supporting a breaker assembly support plate in the distributor housing.

It is well known to provide the inside wall of distributor housings with longitudinal ribs for the purpose of supporting the breaker assembly support plate. In order to insert the support plate into the housing its outside diameter must be less than the inside diameter of the distributor housing. One of the disadvantages of this construction is that the center of the support plate and the center of the housing can easily be misaligned. With such an arrangement the respective centers must first of all be aligned and then the support plate must be secured to the distributor housing in its aligned position. In order to provide the distributor housing with a flat seating surface for mounting the support plate, the housing has to be put in a lathe and the upper end of the housing as well as the upper surfaces of the longitudinal ribs have to .be turned down. Another disadvantage of this construction is that the longitudinal ribs cut into the usable volume that exists below the support plate within the distributor housing, and interferes with the placement of a centrifugal spark advance mechanism which is usually located there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a distributor that is not subject to the disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement for centering and supporting the breaker assembly support plate in the distributor housmg.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for centering and securing the breaker assembly support plate in the distributor housing.

The above objects are embodied in a distributor comprising a housing which includes a cupped portion having an open side, a circumferential wall and an inner face. A breaker assembly is located within the housing and is carried by a breaker assembly support plate or transverse wall having a'lower side and a peripheral margin provided with an edge face which is in close proximity to the inner face of the circumferential wall of the distributor housing. The latter is provided with a plurality of upset portions projecting into the housing beyond the inner face for holding the transverse wall in a predeterminated position. A first part of the upset portions engage the lower side of the transverse wall and support the same within the distributor housing. A second part of the upset portions engage the edge face of the transverse wall in order to center and frictionally retain the transverse wall in the distributor housing.

A method of making the novel distributor may include the following steps. A matrix is inserted into the interior of the cupped portion of the distributor housing and a plurality of rams is positioned adjacent to the exterior wall of the housing. The cupped portion of the housing is centered with respect to the rams and matrix by means of a hollow shaft portion which is formed on the cupped portion. The rams are moved radially inward against the exterior wall of the housing toward the matrix. This causes the formation of centering and support projections on the circumferential wall which project from the inner side thereof. The transverse wall may then be inserted into the housing with the second upset portions serving to center the transverse wall and the first upset portions providing seating surfaces for supporting the same in the housing.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improvement in the distributor itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawmg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a partly sectioned elevation of a distributor embodying the invention, with parts omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of the distributor shown in FIG. 1 together with the position of tools used in forming it; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal detail view of the distributor shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FiG. 1, there is shown an ignition distributor comprising a housing 10 which may be of aluminum and which is provided with a cupped portion 10a having an open side, a circumferential wall 18 and an inner face and a hollow shaft portion 10b provided with two sleeve bearings 12, 13 for a distributor shaft which is not shown. A breaker assembly support plate or transverse wall 14 carrying the breaker plate 15 and a breaker arm 16, which form part of the interrupter mechanism, is located within the cupped portion 10a. The breaker arm 16 contacts a cam mounted on the distributor shaft which is not shown. The breaker plate 15 is connected to a vacuum advance mechanism (not shown) which turns the breaker plate 15 relative to the transverse wall 14 in order to advance or retard the ignition turning. The operation of the breaker assembly and of the vacuum advance mechanism is known per se and therefore requires no discussion.

In order to support and center the transverse wall 14 in the cupped portion 10a a plurality of upset portions 17, 19 project from the inner face of the circumferential wall 18. In the embodiment shown in FiG. 1 four pairs of upset portions, distributed circumferentially of the cupped portion l0a, are provided, of which one pair is shown. The first upset portion 19 of each pair includes a tapering shoulder 19a which tapers outwardly and in direction away from the open side of the cupped portion 10a and a seating surface 19b which engages the lower side of the transverse wall 14 and supports it in the cupped portion 10a. The second upset which tapers outwardly and in direction toward the open side of the cupped portion 100 and a facet 17b (see FIG. 3) which abuts the edge face of the peripheral margin of the transverse wall 14 and centers it in the cupped portion a. It will be noted that the taper of the shoulder 17a provides for easy insertion and centering of the transverse wall 14 into the cupped portion 10a.

In order to make sure the transverse wall 14 does not loosen and turn in the cupped portion 10a it is secured to the circumferential wall 18. For this purpose the marginal portion of the transverse wall is provided with two upwardly bent lugs 22 of which one is shown in FIG. 1. Each lug 22 is provided with a threaded hold 21 into which a screw is inserted which extends through the wall 18 and also serves to fasten a support bracket 24 to the outside surface of the wall 18. A cap clamp spring 25 is attached to each support bracket 24 which is used to secure the distributor cap (not shown) to the I open side of the cupped portion 10a.

Referring now to FIG. 2 a method of making the novel features of our invention includes the following steps. A female die or matrix 26 is inserted into the cupped portion 10a and several, for instance four, male dies or rams 23 of which one is shown in FIG. 2 are positioned adjacent to the exterior wall 18. The cupped portion 10a is centered with respect to the rams 23 and matrix 26 by means of the hollow shaft portion 10b. An advantageous way of doing this is to first insert the two bearing sleeves l2, 13 into the hollow shaft portion 10b. The bearing sleeves may then be used to perform the centering function by cooperation with an appropriate mandrel. The rams 23 are moved radially inward against the exterior circumferential wall 18 toward the matrix 26. As the rams 23 press against the from the inner face of the wall. As shown clearly in FIG. 2, the ram surface 23 a, acting in conjunction with a cooperating surface of the matrix 26, produces a pair of portions, a first portion 19 which includes a shoulder 19a and a seating surface 1% and a second portion 17 which includes a shoulder 17a and a radially inwardly directed facet 17b. Of course, during the forming of the upset portions the transverse wall 14 is not located in the cupped portion 10a because this would preclude the removal of the matrix from the cupped portion.

It is possible to combine other operations with the step of forming the upset portions 17 and 19. For example, holes are required in the circumferential wall 18 for attaching the cap clamp spring 25, a condenser and a vacuum advance mechanism. These holes may be made at the same time that the upset portions are made by adding suitable dies.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown but includes all solutions to the problem of centering a breaker support plate within a distributor housing by projections formed on the inner side of the housing wall as a result of depressions impressed into the wall at the exterior thereof.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the ones shown.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a distributor, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for vari ous applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In a distributor, in combination, a housing having a circumferential wall provided with an inner and outer face; a breaker assembly located in the interior of said housing; a transverse wall extending across said interior and carrying said breaker assembly, said transverse wall having a lower side and a peripheral margin provided with an edge face proximal to said inner face; and a plurality of depressions in said outer face each having a corresponding projection extending from said inner face for engaging and holding said transverse wall in predetermined position.

2. In a distributor as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of projections comprises first and second projections projecting from said inner face and respectively engaging said lower side and said edge face for supporting and centering said transverse wall.

3. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein said housing has an open side, and wherein said second substitute are provided with shoulders which taper outwardly and in direction toward said open side.

4. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said second projections is provided with a facet which abuts said edge face.

5. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein said housing has an open side, and wherein said first projections are provided with tapering shoulders which taper outwardly and in direction away from said open side.

6. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said first projections is provided with a seating surface which engages said lower side.

7. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said first projections is located beneath one of said second projections. 

1. In a distributor, in combination, a housing having a circumferential wall provided with an inner and outer face; a breaker assembly located in the interior of said housing; a transverse wall extending across said interior and carrying said breaker assembly, said transverse wall having a lower side and a peripheral margin provided with an edge face proximal to said inner face; and a plurality of depressions in said outer face each having a corresponding projection extending from said inner face for engaging and holding said transverse wall in a predetermined position.
 2. In a distributor as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of projections comprises first and second projections projecting from said inner face and respectively engaging said lower side and said edge face for supporting and centering said transverse wall.
 3. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein said housing has an open side, and wherein said second substitute are provided with shoulders which taper outwardly and in direction toward said open side.
 4. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said second projections is provided with a facet which abuts said edge face.
 5. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein said housing has an open side, and wherein said first projections are provided with tapering shoulders which taper outwardly and in direction away from said open side.
 6. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said first projections is provided with a seating surface which engages said lower side.
 7. In a distributor as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said first projections is located beneath one of said second projections. 